The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,
Adjourned to ten o'clock to-morrow.

FRIDAY, May 30, 1777.

A letter, of the 29th, from general Washington, at Middlebrook; one, of the same date, from Lewis Morris, aid-de-camp to general Sullivan, at Princeton; and one, of the same date, from governor Livingston, at Haddonfield, were read:

Ordered, That a copy of the letter from Lewis Morris be sent to the supreme executive council of the state of Pennsylvania; and that the letter from governor Livingston be referred to the board of war.

The committee on foreign applications brought in a report, which was taken into consideration; Whereupon,

Resolved, That blank commissions be sent to general Washington, for the French officers lately arrived in the Amphitrite, to be filled up agreeable to a list to be forwarded to him by the committee; the rank of each class of the said officers to be settled by the date of their commissions from the king of France.

Congress resumed the consideration of the report on the commissary's department; and, several amendments being made,

Resolved, That it be re-committed in order that it may be accommodated to the amendments made.

A letter, of this day, from Thomas Wharton, esq. president of the supreme executive council of Pennsylvania, was read:

Ordered, That it be referred to the board of war.

Ordered, That a warrant be drawn on the treasurer at Baltimore, for 25,000 dollars, in favor of colonel Moylan, for the use of his regiment; he to be accountable.

Ordered, That colonel Moylan lay before the board of war, a particular estimate of the expense of raising and equipping one troop of light-horse; and, before the board of treasury, an account of the expenditure of the money already advanced to him.

The committee on the treasury reported,

That there is due to George Gilbert, serjeant in captain Krumrun's com- . pany of lieutenant-colonel Dean's battalion, who was taken prisoner the 17th September, and for mileage, 21.54 dollars:

To Christian Wirtz, for rations he supplied sundry battalions of militia at Lancaster, on their march to the city, in December and January last, 386.72 dollars:

To captain Daniel Dorsey, of colonel Hall's regiment of Maryland forces, for the subsistence of his company, 930.64 dollars:

That there should be advanced to Robert Jewell, in part payment of his account for the maintenance of state prisoners in the new jail of this city, 1000 dollars:

That a warrant for 133.30 dollars should be drawn on the treasurer in favor of John Ommenseller, for the payment of a light-wagon, which was pressed at Baltimore, last winter, to bring money to this place, and not returned to him, it being employed in the service of the states, and now remains with the wagon-master general in this city:

To the field officers and three others of the 2d battalion of Chester county militia, commanded by colonel Hockley, and to be paid to him for sundry rations, as per their account, 37.70 dollars:

To the five M'Donalds, who are prisoners at Reading, for their and their servants' allowance, from 12th March to 4th June, 156 dollars.

Ordered, That the said accounts and sums be paid.

The board of war brought in a report, which was read: 19

VOL IL

Ordered, To lie on the table.

The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,
Adjourned to ten o'clock to-morrow.

SATURDAY, May 31, 1777.

William Ellery and Henry Marchant, esqrs. delegates from the state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, attended and produced the credentials of their appointment, which were read, and are as follows:

"By the honorable Nicholas Cook, esq. governor, captain-general, commander in chief of and over the state of Rhode-Island and [L. S.] Providence Plantations: To William Ellery, esq. greeting :Whereas, by the free vote of the freemen of the said state on the first Wednesday of May instant, you, the said William Ellery, was elected a delegate to represent the said state for one year in the general Congress of delegates from the thirteen United States of America, now sitting in Philadelphia, or wherever the same may sit: I do, therefore, in the name of the governor and company of the said state, hereby authorize, empower, and commissionate you, the said William Eliery, in conjunction with the other delegates that are or may be elected delegates of the said state, or separately and alone, in case of the sickness or the necessary absence of the other delegates of said state, to represent the said state in the said general Congress; and, in behalf thereof, to join with the delegates from the other states, or the major part of them, in all such measures as shall be thought best for promoting the defence and welfare of the said United States, agreeable to the instructions given, or that may be given, you by the general assembly. Given under my hand, and the seal of the said state, at Providence, this 7th day of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy-seven.

By his honor's command,

NICHOLAS COOK. HENRY WARD, Secretary."

The commission to Henry Marchant was of the same tenor and date. Congress resumed the consideration of the report on the commissary's department; and, after some time spent thereon,

Resolved, That the farther consideration thereof be postponed to Monday

next.

The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,
Adjourned to ten o'clock on Monday.

MONDAY, June 2, 1777.

Nicholas Vandyke, esq. a delegate from the state of Delaware, attended, and took his seat.

Two letters, of the 31st May, from general Washington, at Middlebrook, with sundry papers enclosed; one, of the same date, from general Sullivan, at Princeton, to general Arnold; one, of the 24th of the same month, from general Gates, at Albany, with sundry papers enclosed; one, of the 17th of May, from general Heath, at Boston, with the proceedings of a courtmartial on Peter Pickman Fry, a soldier; one, of the 15th, from Mons. du Coudray; and one, of the same date, from Jeremiah Powel, president of the council of Massachusetts-Bay, with sundry papers enclosed; also, a memorial from Archibald Allen and Ronald M'Donald, at Reading, were read: Ordered, That the letter from J. Powel be referred to the marine committee; and that the other letters, with the papers enclosed, be referred to the board of war.

Ordered, That extracts from the intelligence received, so far as it respects the enemy's designs against Philadelphia, be transmitted by the delegates of Pennsylvania and Delaware, to the executive power of their respective states:

That the commanding officer at Philadelphia be directed to send a muster master to muster the militia at Bristol, and make a return to Congress. Congress resumed the consideration of the report on the commissary's department; and, after some time spent thereon, and sundry amendments made,

Resolved, That the said report be re-committed.

The committee on the treasury reported,

That there is due to Margaret Holmes, for 42 meals supplied the militia, 4.18 dollars:

To William Shaw, for his account for thirty powder barrels, cooperage, &c. 64.66 dollars.

Ordered, That the said accounts be paid.

Mr. Burke, the delegate attending for North-Carolina, laid before Congress credentials of the appointment of delegates from that state, which were read, as follows:

"STATE OF NORTH-CAROLINA.

"To Thomas Burke, John Penn, and Cornelius Harnett, esqs. greeting: Whereas the general assembly hath elected you delegates to attend the Congress of the United States: these are, therefore, to commissionate, authorize, and empower you, the said Thomas Burke, John Penn, and Cornelius Harnett, to attend the said Congress of the United States of America, in behalf of this state, until such time as the general assembly shall direct otherwise; and you are hereby invested with such powers as may make any act done by you, or any of you, or consent given in the said Congress, in behalf of this state, obligatory on every inhabitant thereof. Witness, Richard Caswell, esq. governor, captain-general, and commander in chief of the said state, under his hand and seal at arms, at Newbern, the 4th day of May, Anno Domini, 1777, and in the first year of the independence of this state. RICHARD CASWELL.

By his excellency's command, JS. GLASGOW, Secretary."

A memorial from Jacob Fauntz was read:

Ordered, That it be referred to the board of treasury.

The board of war brought in a report, which was taken into consideration; Whereupon,

Resolved, That a letter be written to the council of Massachusetts-Bay, and to the governor and council of Virginia, acquainting them, that Congress have received information, that general Lee is treated by general Howe with kindness, generosity and tenderness, and desiring the former to treat colonel Campbell, and the latter to treat the five Hessian officers, with kindness, generosity, and tenderness, consistent with the confinement and safecustody of their persons.

Ordered, That twenty copies of the volume of journals be delivered to the delegates of each state, for the use of their respective states; and that the remainder of the 700, which Congress have agreed to take, be lodged in the secretary's office, for the use of members.

The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,
Adjourned to ten o'clock to-morrow.

TUESDAY, June 3, 1777.

A letter, of the 6th February last, from Benjamin Franklin and Silas Deane, esqrs. and one, of the 27th November last, from Silas Deane, esq. by Monsieur du Coudray, were read:

Ordered, That they be referred to the committee on foreign applications. A memorial from Joseph Trumbull, esq. was read, setting forth, "That he has paid many of the officers who served in Canada the last campaign, their extra-rations and back allowances while in Canada, at the rate of one shil.

ling, lawful money; and from, and after their return to Ticonderoga, to the 17th September, 1776, at the rate of seven pence half-penny, like money, per ration; and thought himself justified therein by the direction of Messrs. Clymer and Stockton, the committee for regulating the affairs in the northern department, when at Ticonderoga, in October last: that, to his great surprize, the commissioners of accounts, in that department, refused to allow the same in his accounts."

Congress, taking the same into consideration, and it appearing, from a certificate of major-general St. Clair, dated the 15th May, that the commissioners, when at Ticonderoga in October last, settled the extra-rations due to the officers in the following manner, viz. from the time they left Ti conderoga to go into Canada, until they returned to Crown-Point, at one shilling, lawful money, per ration; from that time, to the 17th September following, at seven pence half-penny, like money; and afterwards at 8-90ths of a dollar per ration; and that the commissaries were ordered and did pay accordingly; thereupon,

Resolved, That the commissioners for settling accounts in the northern department, be directed to allow and pass the commissary's accounts, agreeable to the said settlement.

Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to devise ways and means for supplying the United States with salt:

The members chosen, Mr. J. B. Smith, Mr. Marchant and Mr. Frost. Congress resumed the consideration of the last article in the report from the board of war of the 23d May, respecting the rank of officers; and, a new motion on that subject being made,

Resolved, That the report, with the motion, be re-committed.

Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to devise ways and means of supplying the army with shoes, hats and shirts:

The members chosen, Mr. Sherman, Mr. Clark and Mr. J. B. Smith. Resolved, That the board of war be directed to furnish the supreme executive council of the state of Pennsylvania, with such arms as may be necessary for the use of such of their militia as are now called into service, and which cannot be otherwise supplied; and that it be strongly recommended to the said council, to make use of the most effectual means, that the arms, so furnished, may be returned to the commissary-general of military stores, or to one of his deputies.

Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to confer with the board of war of the state of Pennsylvania, and that they be empowered to employ some skilful persons to view the works and defences erected at, and near Billingsport, and report their opinion, whether these works ought to be com pleted or demolished:

The members chosen, Mr. Duer, Mr. J. Adams and Mr. Middleton. The delegates of Pennsylvania laid before Congress a report of the committee of the whole house of assembly of Pennsylvania, with a resolution of the house thereon, which were read:

Ordered, That the same be taken into consideration on Thursday next. The committee to whom was re-committed the report on the commissary's department, brought in their report, which was taken into consideration ; and, after some time spent thereon,

Resolved, That the farther consideration thereof be postponed.

The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,

Adjourned to ten o'clock to-morrow.

WEDNESDAY, June 4, 1777.

A letter, of the 2d, and one, of the 3d, from general Sullivan, at Princetun, were read; also, a letter of the 14th April, from J. Rutledge, president

of the council of South-Carolina, advising, “That colonel William Kennon, in consequence of a settlement of his account against the continent, so far as it has been liquidated by him, the said J. Rutledge, in pursuance of the resolve of Congress, has drawn ten bills of exchange, all of the date of this letter, from No. 27, to No. 36, both inclusive, for 500 dollars each, on the continental treasury, in favor of David Flowers." At the same time was presented for payment, one of the said bills, being the first of the set, No, 27; Whereupon,

Ordered, That the said bill be paid.

The committee to whom was referred the memorial of the state of NorthCarolina, of the 23d December last, together with the papers accompanying the same, brought in a report, which was taken into consideration; Whereupon.

Resolved, That it be recommended to the state of Massachusetts-Bay, to order diligent enquiry to be made concerning the matter complained of in the said memorial; and, unless the master and owners of the privateer, mentioned in the said memorial, can shew good and sufficient cause to the contrary, to order full restitution to be made, and the offenders to be punished for the violation of the rights of our fellow-citizens, and of the laws of nations; and to report to Congress the proceedings which shall be had in the premises.

A letter, of this day, from general Mifflin, was read, wherein he informs, that, "since the last order of Congress for him to remain in Philadelphia, he has received a letter from general Washington, wherein the general expresses an anxious desire to have the heads of the several departments in the field with him ;" and, therefore, desires the further orders of Congress; concluding, "If Congress have no interesting business for him in Philadelphia, he would be glad to have an opportunity of joining the army, agreeable to the general's letter."

Resolved, That general Mifflin have leave to repair, immediately, to headquarters.

Ordered, That the letters from gen. Sullivan be referred to the board of war. In consequence of an adjustment by the commissioners of accounts, the auditor-general reports,

That there is due to Adam Eichelberger, for victualling sundry troops and ferriage, 17.63 dollars:

To Frederick Curtis, for victualling sundry troops, 3.42 dollars:

To Thomas Smith, for sundry necessaries supplied the sick troops of the 5th and 6th Virginia regiments, at Wilmington, 181.89 dollars:

Ordered, That the said sums be paid.

Agreeable to the order of the day, Congress resolved itself into a committee of the whole, to take into consideration the state of foreign affairs; and, after some time spent thereon, the president resumed the chair, and Mr. F. L. Lee reported, that the committee have had under consideration the matter referred to them, but, not having come to a conclusion, desire leave to sit again..

Resolved, That Congresss, to-morrow, resolve itself into a committee of the whole, to consider farther the state of foreign affairs.

Whereas, general Howe has, by offers of reward, endeavoured to induce

the soldiers of the United States to desert and go over to him;

Resolved, That general Washington be empowered to offer such rewards as he shall judge proper, to deserters from the enemy, whether horse or foot, encouraging them, by suitable offers, to bring with them their arms and horses.

The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,
Adjourned to ten o'clock to-morrow.